The St. Louis Blues are not a booming, successful team this season, but they have tried to find ways to win. With a steady 14-15-8 record, they have remained competitive despite injuries to key players, such as Jimmy Snuggerud, Nathan Bjugstad, Dylan Holloway, and Nathan Walker. In light of those injuries, some new players have emerged from the Blues’ waiver pickups and free agent signings, as well as call-ups.
Otto Stenberg Strong Since Debut
Otto Stenberg made his NHL debut on Dec. 17 in St. Louis against the Winnipeg Jets. Since being called up, Stenberg has shown an impressive style of play, even though his eight points in 21 games at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Springfield Thunderbirds haven’t been so good.
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In his first two games, Stenberg looked quiet, though he seemed to be warming up for something bigger—a two-point game against the back-to-back reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, on Dec. 20. He now has three points in his first four NHL games.
Against the Panthers, Stenberg looked involved and made some nice plays to make the Blues look more threatening than they had before. That’s mainly what the team saw in him ahead of his debut, and it was during Tom Kurvers’ Prospect Showcase that really stuck a foot in the door for Stenberg to reach this level.
In that tournament, Stenberg had a goal and two assists in two games, proving that he can be a key factor in playmaking for the Blues. Hopefully, his game will remain consistent going forward.
Blues Hope Berggren Pays Dividends
Jonatan Berggren seemed like a decent player, but since being claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 16, he has been impressive, with four points in four games. Before this, Berggren was riding six points in 15 games with the Red Wings and had some pointless games before the Blues picked him up. But he has been a big part of rebooting the Blues’ first line alongside Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich.
The Blues might have found another hidden gem, which is similar to what they did last year when they acquired Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, and Cam Fowler, who changed the course of their season. Berggren, who’s been a 15-goal scorer in his first NHL season, could be the last-minute solution that might push the team back into contention talks.
Robby Fabbri Is Supplementing the Bottom Lines
With Bjugstad out since Dec. 10 with an upper-body injury, the Blues had to find an experienced NHLer to fill his spot. That’s why they brought back Robby Fabbri on a one-year, $775,000 average annual value (AAV) contract on Dec. 10.
Fabbri has two points through six games to help the bottom line keep up while Bjugstad recovers. He was also drafted by the Blues and played four seasons with them before he was traded to the Red Wings in 2019, so general manager Doug Armstrong knew what he was getting in Fabbri.
In the Dec. 20 game against the Panthers, he had no points and three shots on goal. But the effort is there, and he’s showing the drive to win. In fact, over his last five games, he has seven shots on net. For a player who hasn’t stepped on the ice in two months, it is good to see him being impactful. Hopefully, within a month or so, Fabbri can settle in and continue to make a substantial contribution to the roster.
As the season nears the halfway point, the Blues sit just two spots shy of a wild-card spot, which is a vast improvement over where they were in the standings just a month ago. Stenberg, Berggren, and Fabbri have made a noticeable impact since their arrival, especially after suffering some key injuries. Now, the goal should be to clinch a postseason berth.
